Let’s be honest for a second. When people talk about investment property refurbishments, plumbing is the bit everyone hopes will “be fine”. Fresh paint ? Fun. New kitchen units ? Sexy. Pipes behind the wall ? Yeah… not so much. And yet, in rental property, plumbing is where your budget either stays under control or quietly explodes at 2 a.m. with a flooded bathroom.
I’ve seen it again and again. Investors run the numbers, factor in kitchens, bathrooms, maybe flooring. Then plumbing comes along and slaps a £3,000–£10,000 line on the spreadsheet. Surprise. Was it predictable ? Honestly… yes. But nobody wants to think about it.
So how much do plumbing works really cost ?
Before we go any further, let’s get something straight : there is no single “price”. Plumbing costs depend on age of the building, access, location, and how brave the previous owner was with DIY. I once opened a service void in a Victorian flat and found pipes held together with tape and optimism. True story.
In the UK, rough ballpark figures look like this :
- Minor repairs (leaks, taps, toilet mechanisms): £80 to £250 per job.
- Bathroom plumbing only (excluding tiles and fittings): £1,500 to £3,500.
- Full flat re-plumbing (1–2 bed): £3,000 to £7,000.
- Old house with surprises: easily £8,000+, sometimes more.
And yes, London and the South East usually sit at the top of those ranges. Travel time, parking nightmares, higher labour rates… it all adds up. If you’re sourcing trades in big cities, sometimes checking what specialist plumbers deal with daily issues like blocked stacks or ancient pipework helps frame expectations – even a quick look at https://plombier-paris-plomberie.fr gives a sense of how complex urban plumbing can get.
Second thing people forget : plumbing is rarely a standalone cost. You open a wall, suddenly plastering is needed. You move a waste pipe, flooring gets touched. It’s like dominoes. Annoying, but real.
The classic plumbing traps investors fall into
This is where experience (or scars) start talking.
Trap #1: assuming “it works” means “it’s fine”.
A system can work today and fail spectacularly in six months. Old copper pipes, low pressure, corroded joints… tenants will find the weak spot for you. Always.
Trap #2: underestimating access costs.
Hidden pipes cost more. Floorboards up, ceilings down, boxing removed. Labour doubles fast.
Trap #3: doing the bare minimum.
I get it. Cash flow matters. But patch repairs on a tired system often mean repeat call-outs. Over five years, cheap becomes expensive. Very expensive.
What plumbing work actually adds value in rental property ?
Not all plumbing spend is equal. Some costs protect your investment. Others genuinely increase rent and tenant quality.
1. Reliable hot water and pressure
This one sounds obvious, but it’s huge. Decent pressure and stable hot water reduce complaints massively. Happy tenants stay longer. Voids drop. That alone can justify a few thousand pounds.
2. Modernised bathrooms
A clean, modern bathroom rents faster. Period. Even in average areas, a tidy bathroom can add £50–£100 per month. Over a few years, the plumbing cost pays for itself.
3. Preventing water damage
Leaks destroy value quietly. Joists, ceilings, electrics. Spending £4,000 on preventative plumbing can easily save £15,000 in repairs later. I’ve seen that maths play out. It’s not pretty when ignored.
Can you really “rentabilise” plumbing works ?
Short answer ? Yes. But not always directly.
Plumbing rarely boosts rent the way a flashy kitchen does. Instead, it works in the background :
- Fewer emergency call-outs
- Lower insurance claims
- Better tenant retention
- Less management stress (this one is underrated)
Let’s do a simple example.
You spend £5,000 re-plumbing a tired two-bed flat. That work allows :
- £75/month higher rent (£900/year)
- One avoided major leak over 5 years (£3,000+ saved)
- One extra year tenant stays (void avoided)
Suddenly, that £5,000 doesn’t look so bad. In fact, it starts looking… sensible. Maybe even cheap.
When should you NOT go all-in on plumbing ?
This might surprise you, but sometimes restraint is smart.
If the property is short-term hold, flip strategy, or located in a low-rent area where tenants accept basic standards, full re-plumbing may never pay back. In those cases, targeted repairs, pressure checks, and selective replacement make more sense.
Personally, I always ask myself : will this work reduce risk or increase income ? If the answer is “neither”, I pause. Maybe that money works harder elsewhere.
Choosing the right plumber (this matters more than price)
Cheap plumbers cost investors fortunes. I’ll die on that hill.
You want someone who :
- Understands rental properties
- Flags risks instead of hiding them
- Documents work clearly (for insurance and resale)
- Is reachable when things go wrong
And yes, they won’t be the cheapest quote. But they’ll sleep better. So will you.
Final thought : plumbing is boring… until it isn’t
Plumbing is the least Instagrammable part of property investment. No one brags about new waste stacks. But every experienced investor has at least one horror story involving water.
If you treat plumbing as a strategic investment – not just a cost – it becomes a silent profit protector. Less stress. More stability. Better tenants. And frankly, fewer late-night phone calls.
So next time you budget a refurb, ask yourself : am I fixing the visible stuff, or the important stuff ?
Because tenants forgive dated tiles. They don’t forgive cold showers.